5 weird ways that genes can increase your risk of getting sick

You already know the mega-risk factors for disease—yep we’re talking about you, smoking, sedentary lifestyle, and fast-food diet. What you may not know: Certain seemingly innocent genes—such as those that determine the color of your hair, your height, or the color of your skin—could compromise your health, too.

Here are five sneaky ways your genes could increase your risk of everything from cancer to obesity.

WEST NILEWho’s at risk: People with deficiencies in a protein called ELF4.Why? When activated by a viral infection such as West Nile, ELF4 produces proteins that flip the switch on your immune system response to fight back. But researchers at Yale recently discovered that an ELF4 deficiency reduces that production and increases your susceptibility to West Nile and its symptoms, including fever, headache, and muscle pains. The bad news: There’s no way to tell how robust your ELF4 levels may be. On the bright side, according to 2012 data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a U.S. resident’s chance of contracting the virus is about 1 in 58,277. Relax.

OBESITYWho’s at risk: People with a variation of the FTO gene.Why? It’s dubbed the obesity gene. And if you carry two copies of a variant of FTO, it could account for nearly 7 extra pounds of flab. What’s more, people with a variation—about 1 in 6 people—are 70 percent more likely to become obese. The reason: The gene regulates levels of ghrelin, which controls your appetite. In folks with certain FTO gene variants, levels of ghrelin stay elevated after a meal, which can make you feel hungrier even after you’ve eaten. Fortunately, you can fight back with what you put on your plate and do in the gym. Find out more here.

SKIN CANCERWho’s at risk: Red heads.Why? A variant in the gene receptor called melanocortin-1 (MC1R) that’s responsible for red hair and fair skin may increase your risk of the deadliest form of skin cancer, too. When you’re exposed to UV radiation from the sun, it triggers a well-known cancer-causing pathway that could increase your risk of melanoma as much as 10 to 100 times compared to people with darker skin. Oddly, the MC1R gene variant may also make you more likely to avoid dental care. University of Louisville researchers found that even after controlling for anxiety and sex, gingers reported more dental care-related anxiety and fear of dental pain and were twice as likely to avoid visits compared to those sporting different colored ‘fros.

PROSTATE CANCERWho’s at risk: Tall guys.Why? According to British researchers, the risk of developing prostate cancer climbs by 3 to 9 percent for every 10 cm in height. One theory is that higher levels of a protein called insulin-like growth factor, which increases height, also ups cancer risk.